CASCADE — Rhys Millen has impressed Pikes Peak International Hill Climb fans for years. On Sunday, he even impressed himself.
Millen overcame two flat tires sustained over the final 4 miles of the 87th running of the Hill Climb, recording a record time of 12 minutes, 9.37 seconds to win the time attack division. Millen has set a record in the division the past three years, recording 12:31.61 in 2008.
“I can’t believe I did that with those tires,” Millen said after hearing his time at the summit. “I have to pat myself on the back. That was the driver.”
Millen also lost his fifth gear as he entered the top section.
“That was me,” he said. “I thought I was shifting down to third and that took it out.”
Millen attacked the course from the start as rain fell.
“We started with standing puddles so I knew I had to push it,” he said. “Luckily we had enough momentum to get through the top section with no grip.”
Millen said he plans to compete in the unlimited class and challenge Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima, who won for the fourth consecutive year.
“I want to get the mountain back in the Millen name,” he said.
His father, Rod Millen, held the unlimited course record from 1994-2006 until Tajima recorded a time of 10:01.408 in 2007.
“Why not?” Tajima said. “He’s a good driver and adding competition makes it more fun.”
In contrast to Millen’s Hyundai Genesis, Tajima’s Suzuki held up fine, but loose dirt because of dry conditions forced him to slow down on the unpaved sections of the 12.4-mile course.
Tajima knew once he drove onto the lower dirt portion with little traction that he would not challenge the 10-minute mark, and he finished with a time of 10:15.368.
“Frustrating,” Tajima said while making a face. “I still have a job to do.”
Paul Dallenbach of Basalt also had his eyes on Tajima’s time as he repeated as the open wheel champion with a time of 10:52.097.
He had to overcome sudden, poor road conditions after a thunderstorm blew into the area. Thinking the course would only get worse, Dallenbach chose to race first. It cost him because course conditions soon improved.
Keith Davidson won the vintage car race in a record 13:56.066 and Michael Coburn won the motorcycle quad 450 division in a record time of 12:18.858.
